Asante Samuel: Eagles’ front office “playing fantasy football”

Posted by Michael David Smith on October 26, 2011, 5:03 PM EDT

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Philadelphia cornerback Asante Samuel said last week that the Eagles don’t want him. Today Samuel got more specific, ripping team president Joe Banner and G.M. Howie Roseman for playing with owner Jeff Lurie’s money.

“Couple people upstairs might not want me, but who cares? They’ve probably never played football,” Samuel said, via CSNPhilly.com. “It’s a business and they run it like a business and they’re going to do what they need to do. They’re playing with a lot of money, playing fantasy football, doing their thing.”

Asked if he meant Roseman and Banner, Samuel said: “Howie and Joe? I don’t know, do they fit the comment I made? There ya go. You think they’re upstairs playing fantasy football with the owner’s money?”

Samuel wasn’t happy that the Eagles were reportedly interested in trading him.

“That sucks, doesn’t it?” Samuel said. “Each trade deadline for your name to be flying around and you’re supposed to be the leader of this team?”

Samuel said he has no problem with Eagles coach Andy Reid, but he questions whether Reid is in charge.

“I think there’s a little power struggle around here,” Samuel said. “But it’s all good. Like I said, me and Andy cool. I’m here to play for Andy. He’s my head coach and that’s all that matters. . . . Everything has been good with me and Andy. That’s my guy. That’s who I play for, that’s who I continue to play for. I go to war for Andy.”

But the rest of the front office, Samuel sounds like he’s ready to go to war against.

AHHH the DREAM TEAM, how far they have fallen…I feels like just yesterday, Eagle fans were in here during their offseason frenzy…downright guaranteeing a SB victory this year…LOL…Philly should have learned from Oakland’s many mistakes that big free angent frenzies, rarely work out.

Grow up, Asante. If you know it’s a business then you have no reason to complain about the front office’s decision making. If you have three great CBs and 3 terrible LBs, then it’s a common sense move to let one of those CBs walk in order to free up cap space for a LB.

It’s not a personal insult, it’s business. Nothing more, nothing less. Though Samuel is on a path to make it something more.

Coming from the guy with 1 INT in 6 games, avoids tackling like the plague and does nothing but runs his mouth. Ronnie Brown got traded and then the trade was reversed and he had to come back to the team. What did Brown say? “That’s just how business is in the NFL, no hard feelings”. Asante’s name was mentioned and he’s acting like he’s so great that the mere thought of trading him is foolish. Safe to say he won’t be an Eagle next year. I much rather DRC and Asomugha be the starters on the outside right now anyway.

Most of you are focusing on Asante the Whiner instead of what he’s saying.

I believe him. Banner was promoted a couple years ago and the press (incl. PFT to this day) ignore that – y’all want to think of Reid as the Master & Commander, but he’s not. This offseason is testament to a massive philosophical change in Philly… and people want to assume it’s that’s changing???

Dear Asante Samuel: Please learn how to tackle, cover and get more than 1 interception this season and then you can run your mouth. The Eagles are paying you all this money and you have been an average corner this year so just shut your mouth and play football.

marader78 says:
Oct 26, 2011 5:13 PM
AHHH the DREAM TEAM, how far they have fallen…I feels like just yesterday, Eagle fans were in here during their offseason frenzy…downright guaranteeing a SB victory this year…LOL…Philly should have learned from Oakland’s many mistakes that big free angent frenzies, rarely work out.
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Funny, but as an Eagles fan, I don’t recall a single person guaranteeing anything. It’s the rest of you haters that were just waiting for things to not go as well as we’d hoped.

He’s right. Lurie and Banner doing what we do in Fantasy Football. Even when you think you have a good team aka Dream Team, it doesn’t guarantee you anything…and don’t kid yourself in thinking that Howie is actually the GM.

Haha that’s funny Asante, you rip the front office because they have never played football and then you make a war analogy. I can just hear the thousands of vets of our recent wars saying “You never played the game, Asante.”

Love to have you here in Detroit, we could use an elite player in the secondary…….oh and while I’m on the subject, how about a LT that could protect Stafford, to replace Jeff Sackus….High school playoffs will be over soon, maybe we could find some talent there?

Asante has his two rings and the cash he was never going to see in Foxboro. The Patriots should have locked him into a deal before he hit free agency. Now they’re making the same mistake with Welker. Both players are better off in New England.

You sold yourself to the higgest bidder. When you were a free agent as your tatoo says, You Got Paid. Thats all Mesante cared about as he dropped an interception right in his hands in the SB ruining the possibility of the greatest season ever.

Asante – You are better off playing for a team that is not crumbling before your very eyes. If the “Dream Team” does not want it’s 2nd best DB, than consider yourself lucky. If the Eagles make the playoffs, they will most likely slide in as the last wild card and chances are they are 1 and done. If Vick goes down for an extended period of tme, this team doesn’t even get into the playoffs. Plus he is a liability this year anyways with his up and down play.

Wake up and just be thankful you might not have to be a part of that mess. Expecially when the whole coaching staff gets fired after this season.

Nothing he said wasn’t true. Banner and Roseman are weasels. Roseman is the biggest wannabe GM in football who’s 1st two drafts have been dreadful. Refreshing to hear somebody on the Eagles speak their mind as opposed to banalities uttered by McNabb and Reid all the time.

I think Asante can safely assume that he’s going to have a new address next season. Unfortunately for the Eagles though, their window of opportunity for getting anything worthwhile for Samuel in a trade has closed. They’ll be forced to release him or unload him for a low draft pick. Unfortunate for Asante as well, since whoever he ends up signing with won’t pay him anywhere close to the $8.4 million he’d have been due from the Eagles in 2012.

I get Samuel’s point, but I think it is the responsibility of the front office to do whatever it takes to keep improving the team. If it means trading a player…well that is part of the business.

Yeah, it sucks to be constantly looking over your shoulder expecting a trade, but all you can do is put your head down and play. If you get traded, you get traded, and you put your head down and play for your new team, teammates and coach. You can’t take it personal. It’s not like the FO is up there just dreaming up ways to upset their players. They are trying to win. They are trying to deliver a quality product to their fans.

Being the playmaker that he is, I totally understand why he’d feel undervalued with all the rumors flying around, and to a certain degree even respect his honesty in saying so. But there’s a point where, as a player, you need to tone it back a bit and act professional. It’s all good until you start becoming a focal point of tensions within the locker room, at which point he’s not only hurting the team but even more so himself, especially with the amount of money he’s currently set to receive (even though he’ll likely end up receiving it from someone other than the Eagles next year).

What’s with all this opinion giving in public we are getting from players?
Shut your mouth and play football. That’s what your paid and paid well for. I don’t want to hear your opinion’s about anything.
Keep it in house if you have problems with the people running things. Nothing good comes from airing the dirty laundry.
This isn’t just for Asante Samuel, this is for any player on any team who’s flapping their gums.

Hoping your team wins it all and having realistic expectations for your team are two different things.

I am a Vikings fan. I “hoped” we would do really well and make it to the Superbowl and win. But, if someone asked me what I expected for the team, I said 4-12 and last place in the division.

I am not less of a fan because I realize that my team needs help in the O-Line, WR, CB, LB, and S. I am not less of a fan because I realized that, while I am a McNabb fan, he was not likely to lead us to a Superbowl any time soon.

Chance? Of course they have a chance. Every team has a chance. Every year a player has a breakout season that changes the direction of their team. But every team has a chance to underperform, too.

Bottom line is that even though I have tempered my expectations for my team, I still watch every game, I still buy the jerseys, I still use my Vikings cup at work, I still talk about the team and think of what they need to do to fix the holes they have. I am still a fan, even if I am not expecting my team to win the Superbowl.

Hey Asante! The front office may be playing fantasy football but at least they are playing some type of football. You haven’t shown up yet. 17 tackles in 7 games, 1 INT and 2 pass defenses; I am not sure a 6 million dollar man should be talking very much with a season stat line like that.

Man so many Eagle haters, A.S has a point somewhat cause when your name gets tossed around in trade rumors its gott a be a distraction cause im sure if YOU heard your name getting tossed around and being fired or sent to a different department im sure you wouldn’t like it but A.S makes millions not 30-40 grand a year…You didn’t get traded so do your job so you won’t get traded….

Asante pushed me far enough to create an account so I can post a comment. He is clearly not looking out for his own interest in the future. Future employers will not like his mouth and not be willing to pay him for it. He would serve himself better by trying to play out his current contract since he will not be hansomely rewarded again. Yes, he is a ball hawk, but he also gives up the occasional big play, which essentially cancels out the pick six. Give me a shut down corner all day long! Not letting a wide receiver score at all is what I want.

Wait people actually think Asante is an average cover corner? I’m glad so many people on this site don’t watch football. I’ve seen every snap he’s played since he arrived in Philadelphia, and you people literally have no clue what you’re talking about. Yea, so he misses tackles. He didn’t become an elite corner because of his tackling skills. He’s a QBs nightmare. He picks off anything and everything but also forces some of the lowest YPA and opposing QB ratings against. He’s not a boom/bust player just because he’s a gambler. He’s a brilliant zone player who doesn’t make many mistakes. Go research some advanced coverage metrics or actually watch the man play before you imbeciles run your mouth on things you don’t understand.

Wait people actually think Asante is an average cover corner? I’m glad so many people on this site don’t watch football. I’ve seen every snap he’s played since he arrived in Philadelphia, and you people literally have no clue what you’re talking about. Yea, so he misses tackles. He didn’t become an elite corner because of his tackling skills. He’s a QBs nightmare. He picks off anything and everything but also forces some of the lowest YPA and opposing QB ratings against. He’s not a boom/bust player just because he’s a gambler. He’s a brilliant zone player who doesn’t make many mistakes. Go research some advanced coverage metrics or actually watch the man play before you imbeciles run your mouth on things you don’t understand.
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Well said dude, People like to criticize but know nothing about the player or stats…Every corner on the league gives up big plays every now and then…He has more picks on the NFL since he was drafted…Yeah he can’t tackle but he’ll pick your ass off over and over if you’re not smart…Keep hating haters

Yea, so he misses tackles. He didn’t become an elite corner because of his tackling skills. He’s a QBs nightmare. He picks off anything and everything but also forces some of the lowest YPA and opposing QB ratings against.

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QB rating against the Eagles D this season is 88.2. That’s 22nd in the NFL. Their 7.7 yards given up per pass attempt is tied for 20th. The best QB’s they have faced so far are probably Eli Manning and Matt Ryan and they hung 8 TD passes on those guys. My question is if Samuel is so good and Asomugha is so good, why is the Eagles pass D so bad?